Michigan
17-1,7-1Big Ten
Indiana
12-7,3-5Big Ten
Wolverines Open Homestand With Win Over Hoosiers
1/20/2026 10:13:00 PM | Men's Basketball
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The third-ranked University of Michigan men's basketball team earned an 86-72 victory over Indiana on Tuesday night (Jan. 20) at Crisler Center. The Wolverines led by double digits for the entire second half and converted 21 free throws over the final 20 minutes to earn its 17th win of the season.
Leaders and Best
Elliot Cadeau led Michigan in scoring for the second consecutive game and the third time in four outings, finishing with a tied season-best 19 points on five field goals, including two three-pointers, while matching his season high with seven made free throws. Yaxel Lendeborg added 15 points on five field goals, two three-pointers, and a perfect 4-for-4 effort at the free-throw line, along with seven rebounds. Aday Mara scored 13 points for his third straight double-digit performance, pulled down seven rebounds, and recorded three of Michigan's six blocks for his fifth consecutive multiblock game. Trey McKenney rounded out the Wolverines' double-figure scorers with 10 points, highlighted by two three-pointers.
First Half
Michigan (17-1, 7-1 Big Ten) set the tone defensively from the opening tip, forcing several early Indiana misses. Offensively, Cadeau had five points, including a three on an assist from Morez Johnson Jr., as the Wolverines opened play with a 7-0 scoring run.
Indiana started the game 0-for-8 from the field over the first 5:10, including six misses from three-point range, while committing two turnovers in its first 10 possessions. Cadeau knocked down his second triple with 13:18 remaining to reach double figures, and Michigan scored on two of its next three possessions, including a three from McKenney, to take a 17-4 lead into the under-12 timeout.
L.J. Cason scored out of the break to cap a 10-0 run over 2:55 of play, ending at the 10:23 mark and extending Michigan's advantage to 19-4. Michigan did not allow a made three-pointer through the first 10 minutes, forcing 10 consecutive misses, while shooting 6-for-12 from the field to start the contest.
Indiana made six straight field goals to cut the margin to single digits before a Lendeborg layup restored a 10-point lead at 33-23. The Wolverines then held the Hoosiers scoreless for more than three and a half minutes. After a brief Michigan scoring drought, Johnson ended the half with a putback dunk following a successful coach's challenge with 2:10 remaining.
Cadeau closed the half with a left-handed layup at the buzzer, giving Michigan a 40-29 halftime lead for the first time in five games and marking the Wolverines' 14th 40-plus-point first half of the season.
Second Half
Mara opened the second-half scoring with a layup in the opening seconds, reaching the 500th point of his career. Mara added another basket in the paint before Lendeborg and Nimari Burnett each knocked down triples to build a 15-point lead before the first media timeout.
The margin quickly grew past 20 following two paint scores and Burnett's third three-pointer of the night. Michigan added a 6-0 run over 95 seconds, fueled by four points from Lendeborg, before a timeout at the 12:08 mark.
Michigan's defense held Indiana without a field goal for 3:40 while scoring nine points during that span. The Hoosiers responded with a three-pointer at the 10:17 mark and briefly outscored Michigan over the next three minutes. The Wolverines then endured a field-goal drought lasting more than seven minutes, which ended on a Burnett-to-Lendeborg alley-oop following an Indiana turnover with 3:55 remaining.
During the drought, Michigan scored 12 points at the free-throw line and remained in control throughout. The Wolverines finished the half with 21 of their final 36 points coming from the stripe to secure the 14-point win.
What's Next
Michigan will continue its Big Ten homestand Friday night (Jan. 23), hosting Ohio State at 8 p.m. on FOX. Michigan legend Trey Burke will have his jersey honored at halftime against his hometown Buckeyes.
Notes
• Indiana finished the first half with eight rebounds and became the fifth opponent, and second Big Ten team, held under 30 first-half points this season. Eight opponents have been held below 30 points in either half.
• The game marked the first time since Dec. 21 against La Salle that Michigan shot at least 40 percent from three-point range, finishing 10-for-25.
• Burnett, Cadeau, McKenney, and Will Tschetter each made multiple three-pointers for the second time this season.
• Tschetter reached 600 career points with a free throw at the 10:46 mark and now needs four more three-pointers to reach 100 for his career.
• Cadeau scored his 800th career point at the free-throw line with 6:20 remaining.
• Mara recorded his third straight game with at least three blocks and has posted four such performances in his last five games. He has recorded at least one block in every game this season.
• Johnson tied his career high with three assists for the third time this season.
